Mapping tools for the
Humanities
Alan Glennon
spatial.ucsb.edu
University of California, Santa Barbara
15 October 2010
Image Source: NAIP, 2005
Mapping tools for the
Humanities
15 October 2010
University of California, Santa Barbara
Topics
• Geographic Data Basics
• Keyhole Markup Language (KML)
• Authoring KML
• Dynamic KML
• Distributing Geographic Data
• Querying Geographic Data
• Policy and Best Practices
Image Source: NAIP, 2005
Mission:
To facilitate the integration of spatial thinking into processes for
learning and discovery in the natural, social, and behavioral
sciences, to promote excellence in engineering and applied
sciences, and to enhance creativity in the arts and humanities.
15 October 2010
University of California, Santa Barbara
Engagement:
Hosting events (brownbags, workshops, lectures)
Developing spatial analytic tools
Offering a help desk
Assisting with research proposal development
Image Source: NAIP, 2005
Geographic Data
15 October 2010
University of California, Santa Barbara
Two practical perspectives:
Data that include or can be harvested for spatial
references
Combinations of spatially-referenced points, polylines,
polygons, and images with their associated attributes
and relationships
Geographic Data
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15 October 2010
Geographic Data
Significance:
visually compelling
15 October 2010
University of California, Santa Barbara
provide context and content; close things are
usually more related; spatial order; pattern and trend
recognition
popular; widespread use, particularly on the Internet
professional expectation: Google Maps as a baseline
Sample Software
Open Source
Free
Google Earth (client)
Google Maps (client)
Microsoft Virtual Earth (client)
ArcGIS Explorer (client)
MapQuest (client)
Proprietary
University of California, Santa Barbara
15 October 2010
NASA World Wind (client and server)
OpenLayers (client)
MapServer (server)
Geoserver (server)
GDAL/OGR (server-based geo-database toolkit)
GRASS (full desktop GIS client)
Google Earth Enterprise (server)
ArcGIS (full desktop GIS client)
ArcGIS Server (server)
deCarta (server)
AutoDesk AutoCad (client)
AutoDesk ProductStream (server)
Oracle Spatial (server)
Example Geographic File Types
15 October 2010
University of California, Santa Barbara
• ESRI shapefile (.shp)
• KeyHole Markup Language (.kml)
• GeoRSS (.rss, .xml)
• AutoCad DXF (.dxf)
• Census TIGER
• ESRI Coverage
• ESRI Personal Geodatabase
• GeoTIFF
• Digital Raster Graphic (DRG)
• Digital Elevation Model (DEM)
• Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS)
• Image formats like jpg, tiff, gif, and png (often served via a WMS operation)
Considerations when choosing a file type for spatial data:
What software support it? What does your consumer want? Is it fast? What
type of data, complexity, and dynamics can it support? How easy is it to
autogenerate and update (from your database to the new file format)? How
well will it age?
Keyhole Markup Language (KML)
Keyhole Markup Language (KML) is an open source XML-based
specification for expressing geographic data.
Developed as a Google Earth file format to represent
georeferenced points, polylines, polygons, and images
15 October 2010
University of California, Santa Barbara
KML has become widely supported by many other software
applications and online mapping services.
Core data within a KML document include longitude, latitude,
elevation, and name descriptions
A sizable number of advanced specifications also exist, including
tags for cartographic customization, viewer position, time, and
iterative data refresh calls.
HelloWorld.kml
University of California, Santa Barbara
15 October 2010
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<kml xmlns="http://earth.google.com/kml/2.2">
<Document>
<name>HelloWorld1.kml</name>
<Placemark>
<name>Transformers</name>
<description>There are some transformers here.</description>
<Point>
<coordinates>
-119.8512453552352,34.41944355498201,0
</coordinates>
</Point>
</Placemark>
</Document>
</kml>
Something to notice
If the first letter of a tag is upper
case, it can hold child elements. If
the first letter is lower case, it
denotes a simple element—one
that has no possible children.
HelloWorld.kml
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15 October 2010
HelloWorld.kml
...
<Placemark>
<name>Transformers</name>
<description>There are some transformers here.</description>
<Point>
<coordinates>
-119.8512453552352,34.41944355498201,0
</coordinates>
</Point>
</Placemark>
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15 October 2010
<Placemark>
<name>homebase</name>
<description>Line from baseball field home base to
transformers.</description>
<LineString>
<tessellate>1</tessellate>
<coordinates>-119.8512439751936,34.41944165152853,0
-119.8524251973235,34.41862172899327,0
</coordinates>
</LineString>
</Placemark>
</Document>
</kml>
HelloWorld.kml
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15 October 2010
HelloWorld.kml
...
</LineString>
</Placemark>
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15 October 2010
<Placemark>
<name>Transformer Area</name>
<description>An area with electrical equipment in it.</description>
<Polygon>
<tessellate>1</tessellate>
<outerBoundaryIs>
<LinearRing>
<coordinates>
-119.8511894139676,34.41968857861303,0
-119.8514849728913,34.41956527198274,0
-119.8512914112404,34.4192276886303,0
-119.851011240657,34.41934137112972,0
-119.8511894139676,34.41968857861303,0
</coordinates>
</LinearRing>
</outerBoundaryIs>
</Polygon>
</Placemark>
</Document>
</kml>
HelloWorld.kml
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15 October 2010
HelloWorld.kml
...
</outerBoundaryIs>
</Polygon>
</Placemark>
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15 October 2010
<GroundOverlay>
<name>aerialphoto</name>
<description>A photograph of the transformers. Pictometry photograph
taken from Microsoft Virtual Earth.</description>
<Icon>
<href>transformers.jpg</href>
<viewBoundScale>0.75</viewBoundScale>
</Icon>
<LatLonBox>
<north>34.41971426141618</north>
<south>34.41890159916832</south>
<east>-119.8508244826322</east>
<west>-119.851976467865</west>
<rotation>-84.34325349425195</rotation>
</LatLonBox>
</GroundOverlay>
</Document>
</kml>
HelloWorld.kml
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15 October 2010
15 October 2010
University of California, Santa Barbara
Keyhole Markup Language (KML) Schema
From: http://code.google.com/apis/kml/documentation/kmlreference.html
Keyhole Markup Language (KML)
Specification Resources:
http://code.google.com/apis/kml
http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/kml/
http://code.google.com/apis/kml/schema/kml22beta.xsd
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University of California, Santa Barbara
KML Examples:
http://code.google.com/apis/kml/documentation/
http://bbs.keyhole.com
http://www.google.com/search?q=filetype%3Akml
Schema Tools:
XML editor
Validating parser (like Xerces-C++)
http://feedvalidator.org
Authoring KML
Graphical User Interface
Google Earth
Export from ArcGIS
Specialty website and applications (particularly plentiful
for GPS data importing)
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University of California, Santa Barbara
Text Editor
Komodo Edit
NotePad++
Parsers, Automation, and Online
OGR from PostgreSQL and MySQL
Coded parsers
EditGrid
Google Docs
Authoring KML in Google Earth
University of California, Santa Barbara
15 October 2010
Position the viewer to contain the spot you want to mark, and zoom to
an appropriate viewing scale. To mark the spot, either:
Select Placemark from the Add Menu; or,
Click the Placemark icon
the screen.
on the toolbar menu at the top of
Authoring KML in a text editor
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15 October 2010
Authoring KML with an online spreadsheet
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15 October 2010
source: Google, Inc.
Google Spreadsheets Tutorial:
http://earth.google.com/outreach/tutorial_mapper.html
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15 October 2010
Styling and Cartography
Using the CDATA Element
If you want to write standard HTML inside a <description> tag, you can
put it inside a CDATA tag. If you don't, the angle brackets need to be
written as entity references to prevent Google Earth from parsing the
HTML incorrectly (for example, the symbol > is written as &gt; and the
symbol < is written as &lt;). This is a standard feature of XML and is not
unique to Google Earth.
<description>
&lt;h1&gt;Entity references are hard
to type!&lt;/h1&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;font
color="green"&gt;Text is
&lt;i&gt;more readable&lt;/i&gt; and
&lt;b&gt;easier to write&lt;/b&gt;
when you can avoid using entity
references.&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
<description>
<![CDATA[
<h1>CDATA Tags are useful!</h1>
<p><font color="red">
Text is <i>more readable</i>
and <b>easier to write</b>
when you can avoid using entity
references.</font></p>
]]>
</description>
Source: http://code.google.com/apis/kml/documentation/kml_tut.html
<description>
<![CDATA[
University of California, Santa Barbara
15 October 2010
Styling and Cartography
<center>
<a href="http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~glennon/geysermap/images2/t25.jpg">
<img src="http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~glennon/geysermap/images2/t25tb.jpg"></a>
</center>
<p>
Category: geyser <br>Height: 5 m<br>Duration: 15 min <br>Interval: 2 hours + <br>Description:
<a href="http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~glennon/geysermap/info/t25.htm">read more
</a> /
<a href= "http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~glennon/geysermap/tatiometadata.htm">metadata
</a>
<p>Source: Glennon and Pfaff (2003)<br>
<center>
<img src="http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~glennon/geysermap/ucsbgeog.jpg" alt="UCSB Geography">
]]>
</description>
Source: J. A. Glennon and R.M. Pfaff (2003), El Tatio Geysers, http://turnhole.com/chile.kmz
Styling and Cartography
University of California, Santa Barbara
15 October 2010
Source: J. A. Glennon and R.M. Pfaff (2003), El Tatio Geysers, http://turnhole.com/chile.kmz
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<kml xmlns="http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2">
<Document>
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15 October 2010
Styling and Cartography
<Style id="transBluePoly">
<LineStyle>
<width>1.5</width>
</LineStyle>
<PolyStyle>
<color>7dff0000</color>
</PolyStyle>
</Style>
<Placemark>
<name>Transformers</name>
<styleUrl>#transBluePoly</styleUrl>
<Polygon>
<extrude>1</extrude>
<altitudeMode>relativeToGround</altitudeMode>
<outerBoundaryIs>
<LinearRing>
<coordinates>
-119.851205,34.419680,42
-119.851008,34.419342,45
-119.851317,34.419221,46
-119.851486,34.419563,43
-119.851205,34.419680,42
</coordinates>
</LinearRing>
</outerBoundaryIs>
</Polygon>
</Placemark>
</Document>
</kml>
Styling and Cartography
Styling and Cartography
University of California, Santa Barbara
15 October 2010
Network Link
Using the <Link> element with the tag <href>, KML
can reference local and remote files.
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15 October 2010
Dynamic KML
The <href> tag can refer to:
An image file used by icons in icon styles,
ground overlays, and screen overlays
A COLLADA file used in the <Model>
element
A KML or KMZ file loaded by a Network
Link
Network Link Example
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<kml xmlns="http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2">
<Folder>
<name>Network Links</name>
<visibility>0</visibility>
<open>0</open>
<description>Network link example 1</description>
Dynamic KML
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15 October 2010
<NetworkLink>
<name>Random Placemark</name>
<visibility>0</visibility>
<open>0</open>
<description>A simple server-side script that generates a new random
placemark on each call
</description>
<refreshVisibility>0</refreshVisibility>
<flyToView>0</flyToView>
<Link>
<href>http://nanocarta.com/tools/randomsphere.php?sample=100</href>
<refreshMode>onInterval</refreshMode>
<refreshInterval>5</refreshInterval>
</Link>
</NetworkLink>
</Folder>
</kml>
Network Link Example
One hundred random locations
refreshing every five seconds.
Dynamic KML
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15 October 2010
Network Link
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15 October 2010
Dynamic KML
Via a Network Link, a server-side
script could call external
databases or other online
sources.
You could also create a webpage
interface that assembles and
returns a KML based on user
preferences.
For example:
http://radar.weather.gov/ridge/kmzgenerator.php
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/gis/kml/
Source: NOAA
Time
In KML, features can be associated with time with
these tags:
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15 October 2010
Dynamic KML
<TimeStamp> associates a feature to an
instant in time
<TimeSpan>
associates a feature to a
length of time. The tag
requires a begin time
and/or end time.
With respect to rendering, these tags typically
serve as a visibility filter against a timeline.
Time
When Google
Earth reads a
temporal tag
within KML, a
time browser
appears.
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15 October 2010
Clicking on the
clock icon
brings up
additional time
navigation
options.
Source: Google Earth and Declan Butler; http://www.nature.com/news/author/Declan+Butler
Temporal Tags Example
…
Dynamic KML
University of California, Santa Barbara
15 October 2010
<Placemark>
<name>Transformers</name>
<description>There are some transformers here.</description>
<Point>
<coordinates>0,0,0<!simplified></coordinates>
</Point>
<TimeSpan>
<begin>1990</begin>
<end>2009</end>
</TimeSpan>
</Placemark>
<Placemark>
<name>homebase</name>
<description>Line from home base to transformers.</description>
<LineString>
<tessellate>1</tessellate>
<coordinates>0,0,0 1,1,0<! simplified></coordinates>
</LineString>
<TimeStamp>
<when>2008-09-24T10:30:15-08:00</when>
</TimeStamp>
</Placemark>
…
15 October 2010
University of California, Santa Barbara
Source: Google Earth
15 October 2010
University of California, Santa Barbara
Source: Google Earth
Temporal Tags Example
Dynamic KML
15 October 2010
University of California, Santa Barbara
Source: Google Earth
Geocoding
The process of assigning geographic coordinates to a
map feature, description, or address.
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Query
Input: Address or location description
Examples: Goleta, CA; 90210; New Zealand
World Trade Center, downtown Los Angeles
Output: Geographic Coordinates
45.2342W, 15.2346N, 1000m asl, WGS84
There are many complicating factors to geocoding.
For example: the grammar of the input, positional
accuracy / vagueness / scale, places with the same
name, foreign languages, deprecated names, new
names, misspellings, etc.
Geocoding
Despite the problems, geocoding is at the core of
many web-based mapping applications.
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University of California, Santa Barbara
Query
KML offers the <address> element as an alternative
to coordinates. Google Earth and Google Maps will
attempt to geocode the address and render the
position. Usability will largely depend on the input
address and the intended application.
For example, the following KML uses the street
address of a UCSB electrical transformer station
(shown in the middle left of the screen; geocoded
address is on the bottom right).
Note: In Google Earth and Maps, if a <Point> tag is provided in the
KML also, it will take precedence over an <address>.
University of California, Santa Barbara
15 October 2010
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<kml xmlns="http://earth.google.com/kml/2.2">
<Document>
<name>addressexample.kml</name>
<Placemark>
<name>Transformers</name>
<description>Better than nothing.</description>
<address>552 University Road, Santa Barbara, CA
93106</address>
</Placemark>
</Document>
</kml>
Accessibility
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15 October 2010
Policy and Best Practices
Provide a text description of the map’s or data’s purpose.
Provide descriptions of any included, integrated multimedia.
Use clear, descriptive names and labels.
Consider appropriate colors and contrast for people with color
discernment difficulties or other visual impairment
Cite data sources; allowing users to investigate other mechanisms for
its visualization
In technology selection, consider open 3D rendering formats. For
instance, OpenGL calls to a graphics card can be captured and
manipulated. Haptic feedback devices can more readily interpret the
data.
Ensure links are simple, visible, and exposed (no hidden image links)
Be very cautious about rapid blinking and dynamic data refreshes.
Provide warnings as necessary to assist epileptic population.
Best Practices
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15 October 2010
Policy and Best Practices
Validate your KML
Use spaces and indentions even when the KML is
automatically generated (when text editing, be
careful for hidden characters)
Comment within the KML when something is not
obvious (like with network links)
Generally, do not use KML as the database (usually
better as a result of a database). Use KML to
describe the geographic elements of a database.
Also, consider that most software limits renderable
geometry
When hosting, use .htaccess to create MIME
associations for KML and KMZ to Google Earth.
Best Practices
University of California, Santa Barbara
15 October 2010
Policy and Best Practices
Use GeoRSS to syndicate geographic data (refer to
KML). HTML:RSS::KML:GeoRSS
Maximize link confidence (hide awkward script
calls; links to external resources should be reliable;
make sure the external resource acts like you think
it should).
Provide usage information and instructions for
complex data
Use object identifiers in KML. It will maximize users’
ability to search and access subunits of the data.
Provide data authorship credit (also affords author
responsibility).
Best Practices
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15 October 2010
Policy and Best Practices
Consider window viewing sizes (large images and
long descriptions can take over an entire
viewscreen).
Allow users control and navigation of layers.
Consider file size, number of points, complexity
(warn as necessary). For instance, use Regionator
to manage large image overlays
Minimize the distraction of legends or screen
overlays.
Do not use the awful (thankfully sparsely
documented) blink style in KML.
Cache geocodes
Geographic Privacy
University of California, Santa Barbara
15 October 2010
Policy and Best Practices
Right to privacy varies greatly by jurisdiction. The
California Constitution, Article 1, Section 1,
describes privacy as an inalienable right.
Spatial and temporal data resolution is a key
component with respect to invasion of privacy.
For example, spatially aggregated U.S. Census
data are available soon after compilation.
Individual Census responses are prohibited from
release for 72 years.
Aggregating multiple individuals’ personal
information is considered less invasive than
individually identifiable information.
Geographic Privacy
University of California, Santa Barbara
15 October 2010
Policy and Best Practices
Internet users are comprised of all age groups, including
those that may have no understanding of personal privacy
or its consequences.
Graphic source: David H. Williams/E911-LBS, October 25, 2006,
The associated article argues for privacy considerations to be an fundamental part of Location-Base Service design
http://www.directionsmag.com/article.php?article_id=2323&trv=1
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15 October 2010
Policy and Best Practices
Yahoo! Fire Eagle
Developer Code of Conduct
Note: These points are paraphrased.
Always tell users what you want to do with
their location
Let users know when you are collecting their
location information
Give users control of their own data
Make sure users' data are secure
Only allow users to manage their location, but
not others
Don't be creepy
Source: Fire Eagle Developer Code of Conduct,
http://fireeagle.yahoo.net/developer/documentation/code_of_conduct
International Safe Harbor Privacy Principles
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15 October 2010
Policy and Best Practices
Notice - Individuals must be informed that their data is being
collected and about how it will be used.
Choice - Individuals must have the ability to opt out of the
collection and forward transfer of the data to third parties.
Onward Transfer - Transfers of data to third parties may only occur
to other organizations that follow adequate data protection
principles.
Security - Reasonable efforts must be made to prevent loss of
collected information.
Data Integrity - Data must be relevant and reliable for the purpose
it was collected for.
Access - Individuals must be able to access information held about
them, and correct or delete it if it is inaccurate.
Enforcement - There must be effective means of enforcing these
rules.
Source: United State International Trade Administration
Mapping Tools for the
Humanities
University of California, Santa Barbara
15 October 2010
CONTACT
Alan Glennon
spatial.ucsb.edu
alan[at]spatial.ucsb.edu
twitter: @glennon
Image Source: NAIP, 2005